“Can someone please help me understand why toddlers insist on making faces like these in every photo?” -Avara

There is a scale of learning when it comes to kids taking photos:
1. No idea what’s going on
2. Realize someone is pointing something at you
3. Making a face because you are asked
4. Making the opposite face of what you are asked
5. Discontinuing to have photos taken

And so on.

Finn will occasionally make a more “normal” face when asked, but I almost don’t want him to give in. If these faces are his silent protest against looking like everyone else, then so be it. Let’s get it on record. As long as he doesn’t regret making all these faces, I’m good with it. Maybe he’s a #selfierebel? Who knows!

I LOVE those pictures of my siblings and I. It somehow seems more real than my mother’s strained and slightly crazed smile. “I brought 4 kids under 6 to the theme park, they have had way too much sugar, there’s nowhere to change the baby’s nappy, and the queue for the waterslide is insane… but we are here to have fun and dammit we will have fun if it kills me… anyone got a headache tablet?”
LOL. Poor Mum.

I tend to go for the guerrilla approach with my kids – get a couple of candid shots, and when they notice shoot them a big grin – 8 out of 10 times they’ll grin back and I’ll grab another shot. Take lots of photos, don’t be afraid to throw out the ones which don’t work. We’re not working with film anymore!